Considering Colorado is home to fossils from Allosaurus to Stegosaurus, Fossil Brewing, which held its grand opening in late October, is as appropriate a name as anything. For lovers of terrible lizards, there are fossil decorations on the wall of the simple tasting room, and beers from head brewer Josh Bye like Pentaceratops Pumpkin Ale, Mammoth India Pale Ale and Megalodon Blonde Ale. It's also admirable that the brewery partners with local companies — such as Radiantly Raw, which is contributing to a future chocolate blonde ale — and "adopted" two young girls to give presents to for Christmas.

Drinking a pint of Stone Age Stout ($5) is a proper winter act, its almost-black body and tan head properly previewing the milk-stout overtones to come. It's spicy up front, creamy and sweet in the middle, and finishes with sharp, crisp tastes that make your salivary glands go nuts. For a mild experience, try thehouse ginger ale ($2). — BC